


Body Language

by therune



Category: DCU - Comicverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-27
Updated: 2009-12-27
Packaged: 2017-10-05 07:52:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/39422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therune/pseuds/therune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The world is full of idiots. For him, most people are made of glass. One peek, and he knows what´s inside, what makes them tick. The Trickster is the best conman there is.<br/>Only...some people aren´t made of glass. Some people are deeper than that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

James Jesse, aka the Trickster is a con-artist. A good one, maybe the best around.

He deceives people, lies to them and gets away with it. Sometimes, the job is pretty hard.

All the other times, it can be really easy. If he tells them what they want to hear, they´ll believe it.

Or even better, when he convinces them that he´s right, they will believe anything and will stand up for that. He read that once: If you want to levitate a stone, don´t try to levitate it. Convince it it can fly; that´s much easier.

The world is full of idiots. For him, most people are made of glass. One peek, and he knows what´s inside, what makes them tick.

Now that he´s been reading people for so long, it´s like a habit. He´s not particularly trying to read them, he does not actually want to know all things about everybody.

But sometimes, there is something different. Sometimes, some people are not made of glass; they have many facets. Like a diamond. Every time he sees that person, he discovers a new site he didn´t know before.

And Trickster is curious by nature...

  



	2. Chapter 2

1) First meeting

He has seen him on TV, read about him in the newspaper. The Pied Piper. From the photos he can tell that the Pied Piper is a bit shorter than 6 feet, skinny and a red head. Besides, he´s wearing a goofy costume; green long shirt (polka dotted), tights and those silly fairy shoes.

But who is James to talk about that? The only one with a dumber costume than his is the Rainbow Rider...and that guy´s colorblind.

Their first meeting is in a safehouse, between storage boxes and cobwebs. James sees that Piper is actually a good deal younger than expected, he´s a good listener and probably having the rush of his life. For him, crime still has this forbidden touch, it´s dark and fascinating. He´s not doing it to harm anyone, for him it´s almost like a game. It´s not serious to him... There´s a gleam in his eye when he explains something and they are listening to him. He´s feeling important...no, rather not un-important.

He beams with mischief and excitement.

James decides that Piper can be a formidable partner, but he does not take him completely serious. After all, he´s just a kid with a flute.


	3. Chapter 3

2) Abilities: 

At first James thought that Piper´s abilities were supernatural, that he had a magic flute or something like that. He´s a bit surprised when Piper explains to him that this is all microsonics - technology at it´s finest. Then he listens to Piper´s explanations and description of his devices. The red head goes on for 10 minutes, gestures accompaning every word - a trait he shares with many famous scientists and inventors.   
His body language changes - under the surface of the playful criminal supervillain lurks someone else. Someone more powerful. 

He makes a mental note not to underestimate Piper - that kid is a genius, after all.


	4. Chapter 4

3) Teamwork: 

  
Trickster changes his opinion of the Rogues very soon from "villain team-up solely for money and power" to "awesome bunch of fine men". Originally they worked together for money - still do, but the focus has shifted. It´s not about money anymore, it´s about fame. It´s for the laughs, for adventures, just for the sake of itself. It´s not even about winning, it´s about the game itself. For James, the transition from "criminal activities" to a big game is the very easy - he fight with rubber chickens.

Each member contributes something else to the team:   
Cold is the leader-type. He´s determined, smart, knows how to achieve what he wants and emotionally detached enough to do it.   
Heatwave constantly rivals Cold, he is keeping Cold in check. They balance themselves out.   
Mark brings sheer power and a certain unpredictability. He can control weather - he is most one of the most dangerous men on the planet...and he is whacky enough to raise trouble whenever he wants.   
Boomer brings a degree of experience and surprise effect. You´ll never know what he will do next.   
Mirror Master has knowledge and illusions - he can travel through mirrors into other dimensions.   
Piper is their moral compass. There are certain things a villain can do, and some things that are just wrong from every perspective. Piper is here to make sure they don´t cross these lines.


	5. Chapter 5

4) Something Sacred:

He never expected it to work. Supervillains weren´t exactly famous for successful team-ups. It seemed that the Rogues were the exception to the rule.

Sometimes he thinks that he stumbled into a kids´club. They have a clubhouse (abandoned bar), they have a "no-girls-allowed"-policy. (Mainly because the only female supervillain that wants to join is Cold´s sister - and he wants to keep her out of the crime life). They even have a code. "Just like the Pirate´s Code" Weather Wizard said.

James thinks it´s silly, but when they meet at midnight to swear their oath, under a starry sky, the moon illuminating their circle and candles bathing them into warm light he can´t help but to feel solemn. He feels that he is part of something big, something...sacred. Deep down, all the Rogues are just boys that don´t want to grow up, don´t want to fit into society, they want their own rules.

Rogues don´t fight each other.

Once a Rogue, always a Rogue.

All for one and one for all.

James is proud to be a Rogue. And when he glances around he sees that glimmer in everyone´s eyes; everyone feels the same.  
Now and forever.


End file.
